Cabinet having sterilizable instrument tray



Sept. 13, 1966 w BURTON 3,271,860

CABINET HAVING STERILIZABLE INSTRUMENT TRAY Filed May 7, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l 30 INVENTOR.

William E. Burton Sept. 13, 1966 w. E. BURTON 3,271,860

CABINET HAVING STERILIZABLE INSTRUMENT TRAY Filed May '7, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wiliiom E. Burion CABINET HAVING STERILIZABLE INSTRUMENT TRAY Filed May 7, 1965 Sept. 13, 1966 w. E. BURTON 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 5.

m0 i Nr u VB m. E m 0 W United States Patent 3,271,860 CABINET HAVING STERILIZABLE INSTRUMENT TRAY William E. Burton, 616 Ventura Ave, San Mateo, Calif. Filed May 7, 1965, Ser. No. 453,929 Claims. (Cl. 32-22) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 153,161 filed November 17, 1961.

This invention relates to a new and improved instrument tr-ay which may be sterilized and installed in a cabinet having air, water and electrical connections which make connections with corresponding extensible conduits fixed on the tray leading to various instruments of the type used by dentists and physicians.

The present invention comprises a means for holding a plurality of instruments of the type used by dentists, and the like, including such instruments as high-speed and low-speed air turbine handpieces, air-water spray syringes, condensers for fillings, saliva ejector tubes, oral evacuation tubes, and the like. Each of the instruments is connected to a manifold carried by the tray by means of an extensible conduit. The manifold on the tray matches with a manifold in the cabinet. When the tray is inserted in the cabinet and held in position, communication is established between the two manifolds, so that air, water, vacuum and electrical connections are automatically made via the extensible conduits between the various instruments and permanent sources within the cabinet.

A particular feature and advantage of the present invention is the fact that the entire tray and the instruments carried thereby may be removed from the cabinet and sterilized in an oven, or the like, .and after sterilizing reinstalled in the cabinet. Thus by providing two or more complete sets of instruments and trays, one tray and its contents may be sterilized while the dentist is treating a patient and then the trays may be switched while the next patient is treated.

An important advantage of the invention is the fact that all instruments, the conduit and all-exposed portions which come in contact with the mouth of the patient or the hands of the dentist are sterilized at the beginning of the operation thereby reducing the likelihood of transmitting infection from one patient to the other, or from the dentist to the patient, or vice versa.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of means whereby the entire set of instruments may be replaced.

A still further feature of the invention is the fact that the instruments and their conduits which supply air, water, vacuum, or electricity may be sterilized with a minimum of time and effort expended.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of means for locking the tray in the cabinet and releasing the same.

Still another advantage of the invention is the provision of a thermometer-controlled indicator to indicate when the tray is sterile and to indicate that it is not sterile after it has been once used.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the tray installed in a cabinet, the cover of the tray being closed.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view similar to FIG. '1, showing the tray removed.

Patented Sept. 13, 1966 FIG. 3 is .a Vertical sectional view through the tray.

FIG. 4 is a section taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially along line 77 of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views showing modified means of connection of the tray and cabinet manifolds as viewed substantially along line 88 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 11 is a transverse section-a1 view through a conduit taken substantially along line 11-11 of FIG. 8.

A portion of a dental cabinet 21, which is positioned in proximity to the mouth of the patient is herein illustrated. It will be understood that the present invention may be used in other types of equipment, such as surgical equipment, but for convenience the present invention shows a plurality of compartments 22 on the corrugated bottom of -a tray 23, each compartment containing a dental instrument 24, such as a high-speed air turbine handpiece used for drilling, a low-speed air turbine handpiece, an air-water spray syringe, a condenser handpiece which is used to compact fillings, a desiccator and fulgurator, a saliva ejector, and the like. Other instruments, of course, may be installed as required. Above the bottom 26 of tray 23 is an upper tray 27 which extends a portion of the length of the lower tray and on tray 27 may be coiled an oral-evacuation tube 28 and tip and other instruments as required. Several trays similar to tray 23 may be used. The front 29 of the tray is hinged by hinge 31 along the front edge of bottom 26. Sides 32 and back 33 are fixed to bottom 26. A cover 34 having downwardly extending side, front and rear edges fits over the back 33, sides 32 and front 29 of the tray between uses. Flanges 30 on front 29 likewise fit over the forward edges of sides 32. When cover 34 is removed, front 29 falls forwardly and downwardly (see dotted line position of FIG. 3), thereby providing a sterile surface on the front 36 of cabinet 21 adjacent to the tray, so that the hands of the dentist or a portion of the instruments or their conduits come in contact with this region of the cabinet, no infection will be transmitted. It will be understood that although in the preferred embodiment of the invention, tray 23 is installed in an appropriate recess in cabinet 21, nevertheless, tray 23 is adapted for installation under various other conditions, such as a table.

The instruments 24 in the lower tray compartments are each individually connected to a flexible conduit 37. Such a conduit 37 is extensible and is preferably a synthetic tubing made of an elastomer of an elongated pigtail type having spiral coils 38, which are of maximum diameter at the rear of the tray and diminish in diameter toward the front. Such a conduit is resilient and highly flexible. Hence when the dentist pulls the instrument 24 toward him, conduit 37 flexes and does not interfere with the touch of the dentist. Nevertheless when the instrument is released and replaced in its compartment 22 in the tray coils 38 of the conduit resume their initial position. The cross-section of the conduit may be a single tube 38, or a plurality of tubes 38, 38a (FIG. 11), depending upon the requirements of the particular instruments, or the tube may enclose single or multiple electrical conductors, or various combinations of conduits and conductors.

The conduit may be formed of a peroxide cured dimethyl-siloxane elastomer, such as Dow Corning Corporation, Silastic No. 2097. The material is extruded by use of conventional pin and ring dies in a manner well understood in the art of forming tubing. Prior to extrusion the material is uncatalyzed and the rubber is freshened or broken down in a rubber mill. Catalyst is added to the rubber in the mill and thoroughly blended. After milling, the compound is cut into strips and fed into the extruder. Extruded tubing may be deposited on a table and then wrapped on a mandrel which is complementary to the form of a pigtail coil shown in FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings. After having been wrapped on the mandrel the material is conveyed through a hot air vulcanizing oven. A satisfactory cure is for 57 seconds at 650 F. The coil of tubing is then post-cured. A satisfactory post cure is for sixteen hours at 280 F. in a circulating hot-air oven to remove the by-products of the peroxide cure.

The rearward ends of the conduits 37 are connected to nipples 41 which project forward from tray manifold 42 in the back 33 of tray 23. Manifold 42 consists of an inverted T, having holes drilled therein for nipples 41. Dual holes and dual nipples 41, 41a may be used for conduits having two apertures 38, 38a (see FIG. 8). Mating with the tray manifold 42 is a cabinet manifold 43 similar to the tray manifold. The cabinet manifold 42 may carry a gasket 46 (FIGS. 3 and 9) which seals against the tray manifold 42 when the tray is installed in the cabinet and insures against leakage between the tray manifold openings and the cabinet manifold openings. The cabinet manifold openings register with nipples 47 which are connected to conduits 48 leading to sources of air, water, vacuum, electricity, and the like, as required.

An alternate means of connecting the manifolds 42, 43 are shown in FIG. 8. Thus nipple 47b extends forward of the front face of manifold 43 and a complementary recess 50 is formed in the rear face of manifold 42. O-rings 46b are installed in recess 50 engaging nipple 47b and sealing same.

FIG. 10 shows a further alternate of FIG. 9, wherein gasket 46 is omitted and the abutting faces of manifolds 42, 43 are milled very smooth so that they seal against each other.

Directing attention to FIGS. 2 and 3, when a tube 28 is installed in upper tray 27, the upward extensions 101, 102 of manifolds 42, 43 have mating openings 103, thereby connecting tube 28 to tube 104.

Preferably, cabinet manifold 43 slides in horizontal tracks 51 installed in cabinet 21. Spring 52 installed in housing 106 fixed to the back of cabinet 21 and bearing against stud 107 on manifold 43 received in housing 106 biases manifold 43 in a forward direction, so that manifold 43 pushes against 'tray manifold 42 when the tray is installed in the cabinet, thereby insuring tight connections.

Cabinet 21, as best shown in FIG. 2, is preferably cut away at one corner complementary to tray 23, the cabinet opening thus having a bottom 56, side 57 and back 58 against which rest tray bottom 26, one side 32 and back 33, respectively.

To secure the tray properly in position in the cabinet, there are preferably provided slideway sections 61, here shown as four in number, installed on bottom 56 into each of which slides an inverted T-shaped bar 62 fixed to bottom 26. This arrangement prevents upward displacement of tray 23 relative to cabinet 21. Preferably, the bottom of one or more bars 62 are formed with ratchet teeth 63 (see FIG. A pawl 64 vertically slidable in guide 66 mounted on bottom 56 and biased upwardly by spring 67 is installed in cabinet 21 to lock tray 23 against horizontal movement. By reason of the resilient mounting 52 of cabinet manifold 43, a firm contact between manifolds 42, 43 is insured, the gasket 46 providing air, water, and vacuum tight seals.

To release pawl 64, various means may be employed. A manually actuated means (not shown) pulls downward rod 68 and horizontal bar 69 fixed to rod 68 and each hold the float in position of maximum reading is used.

Such a thermometer is installed in side 32 of tray 23 adjacent to cabinet side 57. An electromagnet 73 is located in cabinet 21 adjacent the location of thermometer 71 when the tray is in place in the cabinet. Microswitch 72 is installed in cabinet front 36 in such position that when tray front 29 is opened it contacts switch 72, closing a circuit which includes magnet 73. Magnet 73 is so position that when energized it restores the thermometer float to down position, indicating tray 23 is no longer sterile.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail, by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a container for sterilizable instruments, a tray, support means for supporting said tray, a first manifold positioned in said support means, a first port in said first manifold, at least one source of fluid under pressure differential for an instrument located in said support means and terminating in said first port, a second manifold on said tray, a second port in said second manifold, means for removably interconnecting said first and second ports, means mounting said tray in said support means with .said first and second ports in registry, an extensible and contractable instrument conduit in said tray connected to said second port at one end and adapted for connection and transmission of fluid under pressure differential to an instrument at its end opposite said second port, and a cover for said tray enclosing said instrument, second manifold and conduit, whereby said tray, conduit, and second manifold may be sterilized and then kept in a sterile state when said cover is closed and said instrument conduit may be partially withdrawn from said tray by extension of said conduit when said cover is opened.

2. A container according to claim .1, in which said conduit comprises a flexible, sterilizable, resilient tube.

3. A container according to claim 1, in which said conduit comprises a flexible, sterilizable, resilient tube formed in a spiral shape of gradually reducing diameter proceeding from said second port to the end of said conduit opposite said second port.

4. A container according to claim 1, which further comprises means sealing said first and second manifolds together to establish fluid-tight intercommunication between said first and second ports.

5. A container according to claim '1, which further comprises latch means latching said tray in position in said support means and release means for said latch means.

6. A container according to claim 5, which further comprises resilient means biasing said first and second manifolds toward each other.

7. In combination a cabinet, a cabinet manifold in said cabinet, a plurality of first ports in said cabinet mani fold, a plurality of sources of air, water and vacuum, each of said first ports being connected to one of said sources, a tray shaped to receive instruments, a tray manifold on said tray, a plurality of second ports in said tray manifold corresponding in number and position to said first ports, means mounting said tray in said cabinet with corresponding first and second ports in registry, and a plurality of extensible conduits normally in said tray and partially extensible therefrom each communicating at one end with one of said second ports adapted for connection and transmission of power to an instrument connected to said conduit at its end opposite said second ports.

8. A cabinet according to claim 7, in which each said extensible conduit is formed of a flexible, resilient, sterilizable tube wound in an elongated spiral having maximum c-oil diameter adjacent said tray manifold and decreasing coil diameter proceeding away from said tray manifold.

9. A cabinet according to claim 7, which further comprises first latch means on said cabinet, second latch means on said tray, means biasing said latch means into engagements with each other and latch opening means for unlatching said latch means.

10. A cabinet according to claim 7, which further comprises a thermometer on said t-ray having a mag- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 774,948 11/ 1904- Perry 218-3 1,815,953 7/1961 Moore 3222 2,609,268 9/ 1952 Nye 312-320 3,111,759 11/ 1963 Shackelford 32-2 2 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

netizable float and a means tending to retain said float at 15 RQBERT E, MORGAN, Examiner. 

1. IN A CONTAINER FOR STERILIZABLE INSTRUMENTS, A TRAY SUPPORT MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID TRAY, A FIRST MANIFOLD POSITIONED IN SAID SUPPORT MEANS, A FIRST PORT IN SAID FIRST MANIFOLD, AT LEAST ONE SOURCE OF FLUID UNDER PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL FOR AN INSTRUMENT LOCATED IN SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND TERMINATING IN SAID FIRST PORT, A SECOND MANIFOLD ON SAID TRAY, A SECOND PORT IN SAID SECOND MANIFOLD MEANS FOR REMOVABLY INTERCONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND PORTS MEANS MOUNTING SAID TRAY IN SAID SUPPORT MEANS WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND PORTS IN REGISTRY, AN EXTENSIBLE AND CONTRACTIBLE INSTRUMENT CONDUIT IN SAID TRAY CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND PORT AT ONE END AND ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION AND TRANSMISSION OF FLUID UNDER PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL TO AN INSTRUMENT AT ITS ENDS OPPOSITE SAID SECOND PORT, AND A COVER FOR SAID TRAY ENCLOSING SAID INSTRUMENT, SECOND MANIFOLD AND CONDUIT, WHEREBY SAID TRAY, CONDUIT AND SECOND MANIFOLD MAY BE STERILIZED AND THEN KEPT IN A STERILE STATE WHEN SAID COVER IS CLOSED AND SAID INSTRUMENT CONDUIT MAY BE PARTIALLY WITHDRAWN FROM SAID TRAY BY EXTENSION OF SAID CONDUIT WHEN SAID COVER IS OPENED. 